Regardless of where one falls on this issue, that "article" was nothing more than the author's opinion. Even some of the links contradict, or give different numbers than he cites.

It will be hard to convince someone who invests in a $70k boat, another $10k in equipment and countless hours and gallons of fuel searching for fish that they can keep only ONE fish. Especially when the majority of rec fishermen I know practice catch and release and stick to the limits religiously.

Same goes with the charter and commercial harvesters. Too much investment to simply tell them to cut their income in half. I can't see them just saying, "ok."

Although I will admit I appreciate the tone of "Why wait for government to help"

The guy had a lot of nice points. However he really shows his cluelessness here:

Quote:

But it also means limits for those who go out on so-called “party boats.” Not to pick on party boat captains (these guys are operating within the rules—most of the time, anyway), but these boats seem to me to be a big part of the problem. The fishing from these boats, filled with 25 to 100 anglers all taking their two-fish-a-day limit, is just not sustainable. These captains have to know somewhere in their hearts that what they are doing is similar to the actions of the commercial fishermen who eventually fished cod out to the point of near extinction. Catching and killing that many striped bass on every trip is just not in their long term self-interest.

He seems to ignore the fact that the guys on the party boats are recreational fishermen just like the individuals on a private boat. What is the difference if a sportsman keeps his limit on a private boat with 2 on board or a sportsman keeps his limit fishing from the beach with 100 others next to him or a sportsman on a party boat with 25 other anglers? Every sportsman has the same limits regards of where he fishes from. The writer seems to put more concern on head boats merely because they demonstrate higher levels of participation.

What bugs me most about his mindset is the clearly he would be happy with reducing participation as a solution to stock reductions since he doesnt like boats that are full of people fishing with the same creels and regs as him (as he elludes to them being a big problem). He doesnt understand that would not be in the long term self-interest for our sport and activity. (loss of marine industry suppliers, higher costs, less political influence, less interest in the environment, etc.)

I dont think going to one big fish per angler along the coast is going to reduce participation that much. After all look at the levels of participation in the Chesapeake Bay during the trophy season where we are only allowed one big fish.

I hope our fisheries managers protect Maryland fishing opportunities here on the bay that pretty much depends upon striped bass with any necessary reductions. I personally dont believe our take on the SSB is the plank in our eye. We already are only allowed one fish over 28" on a limited season. If coastal fisheries reduce their take here and we still need reductions I believe there are tools to keep seasons open while still reducing the take. I certainly hope days to fish are not lost in our state that depend on this fish for a viable sportfishery.

Where I believe Maryland has issue is in the fact that we take so many juvenile fish that never get the opportunity to spawn once (to me that is "pre-spawn"). We are the nursery for these fish and they are hammered by sport fishing, commercial fishing, and disease in the bay. Do we allow enough fish to enter the SSB is what I question.

Personally, I am an individual freedom guy and believe in the freedom to fish for oneself. This is why I hope the reductions from the bay come from the commercial sector that vastly benefits a few in this state and is disproportionate to other states commercial take. Besides it also specifically targest these juvenile fish all year that never get to spawn once and works towards the taking of more fish in numbers than the entire sportfishing community since the fishery is managed in lbs. not numbers of fish.

Unfortunately, some conservationist/conservation groups are not on board with protecting sportfishing along with reductions. I believe they would be content with reduced participation in the sport. The writer of this article is an example of that mindset.

I will try to write what my thoughts are on this subject in a more coherent format in the future. Big changes to the fishery are coming, and necessary.